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Should I get a diabetes pump?
Question : Should I get a diabetes pump?
I have diabetes, and I’m using the novalog pen. I’ve been seriously considering getting the insulin pump, and already told my dad to call my doctor and schedule an appointment to get educated on one. My Dad’s kind of lazy, so he hasn’t called yet, so I need to know, is the pump better then the novalog?
diabetes pump
Best answer:
Answer by sunflower352
I have a 15-year-old son and he has been pumping for the past six years. It has revolutionized his life. There are very few boundaries with a pump. Want to go play a sport? Turn down the pump and go. Want to have pizza after wards? Go for it! It not only made his life better, but it frees up the family and their routines. Let’s face it: if there is a diabetic in the house, their schedule (meals anyway) is everyone’s schedule!
My son is not a breakfast eater and it was always such a drama to get him to eat breakfast when he was on MDI…he just wasn’t hungry and here I was forcing oatmeal down him because, hey, the clock says it’s time to eat. Thanks to the pump, he only has to eat when he is hungry.
He started on the Cozmo (which is no longer in production), but for the past year and a half has been on the Omnipod. No tubing to get caught on things! He really likes it.
Good luck and really research the various pumps out there. I have a feeling you’ll love it!
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#2 written by Sarah 1 year ago
Just as Sunflower put it.. it “revolutionized” my life. You have no idea how much easier and more freedom you have in managing your diabetes until you experience the insulin pump. Yes it can be a pain the rear at times to have to change out the infusion set every few days, or clip the pump to an item of clothing, but oh so worth it.
There are features with the pump which allow you to do things manual injections simply are not capable of such as changing your basal rate by the hour, or using a square or dual rate bolus. It all sounds foreign now but once you get education about the pump you will understand.
The major brands on the market now are MiniMed Paradigm, OmniPod, the newer OneTouch Ping, and the Aminus.
I use the MiniMed and have been very happy with it and most of all the customer care that comes with it. I had a pump trainer come to my house to set me up, had direct contact with my trainer and local rep for any questions or concerns and the customer service department is top notch.
Things to consider when deciding on which model..
Are you active in water sports or like to swim? (MiniMed and Aminus are not waterproof, Omni Pod is waterproof for 30mins and the Ping is completely water proof)
Do you prefer tubing or no tubing? (Only OmniPod is tubless)
Do you want to upgrade to a continuous glucose monitor? (MiniMed has a compatible continuous glucose monitor)
and most importantly what does your insurance provider cover? (OmniPod is newer and not all providers will cover it. MiniMed is usually always covered)Good luck and enjoy!
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#3 written by Atheist Bean 1 year ago
Yes. I recommend an insulin pump to everyone with t1 diabetes. It will make your life so much easier.
Realistically you will have to blood test a bit more often but think of how nice life will be without constant injections. Just hit a few buttons and no one but you knows the insulin is being infused into your body.
The blood sugar control is so worth whatever hassles you may come across with a pump. I’ve had mine for 12 yrs now and the hassles have been few and far between.
It’s the best decision I’ve ever made as far as diabetes control is concerned. My A1C was a 9 before the pump and is a 6 now. I lost close to 20lbs after I got my pump.
I recommend going online and researching which pump is best for you. The 2 I am familiar with are the MiniMed Paradigm and the Omni Pod. I like both but my insurance only covers the one.
Good luck. - Comment Feed for this Post
Pumps are wonderful, once you have one you will never want to give it up. They give you so much flexibility: you can set different baselines at different times of day, turn it down before you exercise so you don’t go low, dial it up before your period, give yourself a dose for even a tiny bit of food, skip a meal if you need to, etc. You can go online and order info packets from a few manufacturers such as Minimed and Animas. They often include a video that you could watch with your dad so he can see the benefits.